Gas burner of selective flame distribution type



J. H. FLYNN GAS BURNER OF SELECTIVE FLAME DISTRIBUTIONl TYPE Filed Jan.23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR. BY L/YHFg/m @fvg/ J. H. FLYNN GASBURNER 0F SELECTIVE FLAME: DISTRIBUTION TYPE Filed Jan. 25, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JO/J/y/f/ f7 United States Patent O 3,334,820GAS BURNER F SELECTIVE FLAME DISTRIBUTON TYPE John H. Flynn, 234 ElkAve., New Rochelle, N.Y. 10804 Filed Jan. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 339,692 9Claims. (Cl. 239-556) This invention relates to gas burners in general,and to gas burners with selective ame distribution in particular.

Band-oven and similar space-heating installations frequently requireselective heat distribution to obtain as uniform heat conditions in thespace being heated as possible. To this end, it is customary to arrangeamong the usual burners in such installations special gas burners offselective ame distribution Where needed for the purpose. These specialburners commonly have the gas chambers in their longitudinal casingsdivided into successive compartments to serve successive llame lengthsof the burners, with the several compartments being supplied with gasfrom one end of the burners through an internal valve mechanism whichextends over the length of the burners and is selectively operable fromthe outside to admit gas to any one or any combination of thesecompartments.

While these special burners are being used rather extensively inoperations in which fairly uniform heat conditions in the spacesinvolved is a prime requisite, they are used very sparingly, if at all,in many other operations in which uniform heat conditions are notabsolutely-necessary but would be highly desirable and beneficial forthe operation. The reason therefor lies primarily in the relatively highcost of these special burners, owing to the large size of their valvemechanisms both in length and cross-sectional dimensions, and the needfor fairly precise machining and fitting of the operating parts thereofin order that these valve mechanisms may freely respond to outsidemanipulation with no more than reasonable elfort. Moreover, thesespecial burners do not afford as accurate and exible control over theintensity and uniformity of the llames as would be desirable. This isdue to the fact that these valve mechanisms take up so much of thecross-sectional areas of the several compartments in the burners thatthe delivered gas in these compartments is given little opportunity todistribute over the associated flame ports as evenly as desired, and thegas pressures in the various compartments of the burners vary quitewidely with diiferent settings of the valve mechanisms.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas burner ofselective ame distribution type which not only affords closer controlover the ames served from the several burner compartments thereof, butis also considerably lower in cost, than prior burners of this type,thereby to make available a burner which not only may be used inband-oven and similar space-heating installations to achieve yet greateruniformity of the heat conditions therein, but which is a-lsocommercially attractive for many other operations in which burners ofthis type are highly desirable but omitted owing to their hitherto highcost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gas burner ofthis type in Which the valve mechanism for selectively supplying theseveral burner compartments with gas is arranged, not within, but ratheroutside, these compartments, with nothing more than conduits extendinginto the interior of the burner casing that connect the outlet ports ofthe external valve mechanism with the respective compartments. In thusarranging the valve mechanism and connecting it with the several burnercompartments through conduits, the valve mechanism may advantageously bein the form of a smallsize and low-cost unit of ready operability andaccurate performance which is, moreover, readily accessible at theoutside of the burner casing for easy maintenance, repair or replacementof parts, while the conduits may -be of rather small individualcross-sectional dimensions It is a further object of the presentinvention to provide a gas burner of this type in which theaforementioned conduits that connect the external valve mechanism withthe respective burner compartments vare coextensive to the compartmentmost 4remote from the valve mechanism, with the individual conduitsbeing of complemental sectorial section and placed side-by-side to forma cylindrical unit centrally of the compartments, and the individualconduits having outlet ports to the respective compartments with whichthey communicate and being closed to the other compartments. With thisarrangement of the conduits in a cylindrical unit centrally of theburner compartments through which they extend, the uniform ring-likespaces left in these compartments for the ydelivered gas are not onlyidentical but also conducive to fairly uniform distribution throughoutof the delivered gas and, hence, even `distribution of the same to theame ports thereat, wherefore the flames served -by any one burnercompartment will be most uniform in their intensity and pattern.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner ofthis type of which the aforementioned cylindrical conduit unit is, forleast reduction by the same of the cross-sectional area of the burnercompartments through which it extends, kept at minimum crosssectionaldimensions, yet the cross-sectional dimensions of the individualconduits are kept suliciently large to supply the respectivecompartments with gas for ame performance of maximum capacity. This isachieved by arranging the valve mechanism so that the outlet portthereof serving the nearest burner compartment is in directcommunication therewith, while only the remaining burner compartmentsrequire internal conduit connections with the valve mechanism, thusrequiring a number of conduits of one less than the number of burnercompartments.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner ofthis type in which the valve mechanism comprises structurallyexceedingly simple members of which a body member has individual valveports for the various burner compartments and another, operating, memberis turnable and has a single opening registerable with any one or moreof the valve ports for admitting gas to the respective burnercompartment or compartments, with the valve ports also having gasleakage or bleed passages between each other so that in any setting ofthe operating member for llame performance of one or more burnercompartments the remaining' compartment or compartments will be suppliedwith gas which is adequate to keep the flames thereat at pilot level.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner ofthis type in which, in the case of a threecompartment burner casing, theaforementioned valve mechanism with the single opening in the operatingmember is arranged so that this mechanism will, in one certain settingof the operating member, supply gas to the three burner compartments formaintaining thereat flame at substantially the same level and ofsubstantially the same drive.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gas burner ofthis type of which the chamber in the burner casing is partitioned intosuccessive burner compartments by simply slotting the casingtransversely at the contemplated partitions to a depth from which theremaining non-slotted peripheral wall of the chamber converges inwardlytoward the burner slot, and inserting through these slots partitionplates which it not only the slots but also the remaining non-slottedwall of the chamber thereat, with the parts of the partition platesfitted in the slots being welded or otherwise secured and sealed to thecasing on the outside thereof, In thus partitioning the chamber in thecasing, a `conventional burner casing with a non-partitioned gas chambermay readily be converted into one with separate compartments forselective flame distribution, whereby the compartments will be wellsealed from each other and from the outside, except at their burnerslots, with the partition plates being easily ttable with theconfronting part of the inner peripheral wall of the gas chamber,especially if the latter is cylindrical in section. Further, thepartition plates may, prior to their assembly with the burner casing, bebored for their subsequent itted reception of the aforementionedcylindrical conduit unit on mere axial sliding of the latter intoposition in the casing through the assembled partition plates therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for readyconversion of a burner of non-selective llame distribution into a burnerof selective flame distribution, by arranging the partition plates fortheir substantially tted reception in the interior of the burner casingon sliding them axially thereinto, and outside the burner casingpermanently assembling these plates with the aforementioned conduit unitinto a new unit for its subsequent installation in the burner casing onmerely sliding it axially thereinto, with the valve mechanism being thenreadily assembled with the installed new unit to complete the conversionof the burner. With this arrangement, it is entirely feasible for acustomer to convert an available, and particularly installed,A burnerthen and there by simply assembling this purchased new unit and valvemechanism with the existing, but gas-disconnected, burner in thedescribed simple manner.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the artfrom the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out thepresent invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

FIG. l is a partial side elevation of, and partial section through, agas burner embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is arsection through the burner taken substantially on the line2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section through the burner as taken on the line3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the burner as taken onthe line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a part-elevational, part-sectional, view of a gas burnerembodying the present invention in a modied manner; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates a gasburner of selective flame distribution type, having a longitudinalburner casing 12 with an axis x provided with successive longitudinalgas compartments 14 about this axis and a longitudinal burner slot 16coextensive with and open to the compartments 14, a valve mechanism 18for controlling gas distribution to the compartments 14, and conduitmeans 20 connecting the valve mechanism 18 with the several compartments14.

The burner casing 12, which in this instance is a casting, has besidesthe burner slot 16 two burner grooves 22 which flank and are coextensivewith the latter (FIG. 3).

4 The burner slot 16 and grooves 22 are preferably machined and holdconventional ribbon assemblies 24 and 26 which in well-known manner formmain-llame and pilot-flame ports, respectively. With the burner slot 16being in direct communication with the compartments 14 (FIG. 3) itreceives from the latter gas at adequate volumetric flow rate tomaintain the flames thereat at the desired utility level and drive,while longitudinally spaced, constricted communication ducts 28 betweenthe compartments 14 and burner grooves 22 admit suicient gas to thelatter to keep the flames thereat at adequate pilot level to sustain themain ames at the slot 16.

The burner casing 12 in its preferred cast form is in this instance fora burner without selective llame distribution, and to this end is castwith a single gas chamber over its entire length, and the same isconverted into a casing for selective flame distribution by partitioningthe gas chamber into the separate compartments 14. This is achieved byseparate partition plates 30 which, in accordance with `one aspect ofthe present invention, are inserted and assembled with the casing 12from the outside. To this end, the peripheral wall 32 of the casing 12is provided with transverse slots 34 (FIG. 3) which are machined atleast to a depth from which the opposite inner surface parts 36 of theremaining non-slotted wall that lead to the burner slot 16 converge oneach other. Inserted into these slots 34 are the pre-shaped partitionplates 30 which over the extent of the slots follow the contour of theouter casing periphery and are there firmly secured in place and sealed,preferably by welding, while the remainder of these plates is contouredto tit the peripheral wall surface parts 36 in the casing. Preshaping ofthe partition plates 30 and their accurate assembly with the casing 12is particularly simple if the inner peripheral wall of the casingchamber is largely cylindrical as shown in FIG. 3, with the slots 34being preferably machined to a minimum depth at whichthey extend over asemi-cylindrical part of this wall.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the valvemechanism 18 is arranged outside the burner casing 12 and near one endthereof, but is carried by the burner casing through intermediation ofthe conduit means 20 (FIGS. l and 2). The valve mechanism 18 comprises avalve Abody or housing 38 with an axis x' having an interior chamber 40about this axis which through a partition member 4,2 is divided intofront and rear sections 44 and 46, and an operating valve element 48(see also FIGS. 4 and 5). The chamber section 44 has an inlet 50 whichthrough a conduit 52 is connected with a source of combustible gas, andthe partition member 42 is in this instance a separate valve plug whichis ttedly received in a machined annular recess 54 in' the valve body38. The valve plug 42 is provided with as many ports 56 as there arecompartments 14 in the burner casing 12, in this instance three. Ofthese outlet ports 56 the one denoted 56a is open to the chamber section46 in the valve body, but the remaining ports are sealed from thischamber section 46 by conduits which connect them with certaincompartments 14 in the burner casing.

The valve element 48 is operable to provide communication between thefront or admission chamber section 44 in the valve body and any one, orcertain combinations, of the ports 56. To this end, the ports 56 in thevalve plug 42 are provided in a machined face 58 thereof, while thevalve element 48, which in this instance is a disc turnable in theannular recess 54, has a machined face 60 in covering engagement withthe face 58 of the valve plug 42 and is provided with an opening 62through which to provide selective communication between the chambersection 44 and the several ports 56. The valve element 48 is providedwith a stem 64 which extends through a packing 66 in a removable endcover 68 on the valve body 38 to the Voutside and there carries a handle70 for manipulating the valve element 48. A spring 72 exerts suicientpressure on the valve element 48 to keep its face 60 in engagement withthe face 58 of the valve plug 42 and to keep the latter seated in theannular recess 54 in the valve body, while a key 74 serves to locate andlock the valve plug in correct angular position in the valve body (FIG.5).

The conduit means 20, which connect the valve mechanism 18 with theseveral compartments 14 in the burner casing, comprise as many separateconduits as there are compartments 14, with each conduit providingcommunication between one of the valve ports 56 and an associatedcompartment 14. 'Ihe foremost compartment 14a in the burner casingnearest the valve mechanism is served from the exemplary valve port 56aby a conduit 76 through intermediation of the chamber section 46 in thevalve body (FIGS. 2 and 4) while the remaining compartments 14 areserved from the remaining valve ports 56 directly through conduits 78.Conduit 76, which is firmly secured to the adjacent ends of the burnercasing 12 and valve body 38 and supports the latter lon the former,provides communication between the casing compartment 14a and the valvechamber section 46 which is open to the valve port 56a.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, theremaining conduits 78 that serve ,all burner compartments 14 save theforemost compartment 14a are arranged so that over their coextensionfrom the valve mechanism into and in the burner casing they form aconduit unit 80 of polygonal, and preferably cylindrical, outerperiphery, and the valve mechanism is arranged for proper connection ofthese conduits with the respective valve ports 56. To this end, theconduits 78 are of complemental sectorial section and placedside-by-side to form the conduit unit 80 of cylindrical outer periphery(FIG. 3).

'More particularly, since there are two conduits 78b and 78e to servethe intermediate and rearmost compartments 14b and 14C, respectively, inthe exemplary three-compartment burner casing 12, these two conduits areof semicylindrical section and placed back-to-back (FIGS. 2 and 3).Furthermore, the conduits 78 must in their aggregate be of smallercross-sectional area, i.e., the conduit unit 80 must be of smalleroutside diameter, than the conduit 76 so as to extend with clearancethrough the latter and also through the valve chamber section 46, aswill be readily understood.V Preferably also, the burner casing L2 andvalve mechanism 18 are arranged so that their axes are coincident, andthe conduit 76 and conduit unit 80 are arranged concentric with eachother about the coincident burner and valve axes x and x'.

For proper connection of the individual conduits 78 of the -unit 80 withthe respective valve ports 56, the valve ports other than the port 56a,this being in the exemplary burner arrangement the valve ports 56b and56C, are from the front face 58 of the valve plug 42 inwardly to acylindrical rear socket formation 82 in the latter in which theback-to-back conduits 56h and 56e are ttingly received in sealingfashion and locked by a set screw 84 (FIGS. 2 and 4), with these valveports 56h and Stic` being over their axial extent separated from eachother by a rib 86 in the valve plug against which the conduits butt and,hence, seal these valve ports from each other thereat (see particularlyFIG. 2). The other valve port 56a is, like the ports 56b and 56e,arcuate in extent about the valve axis x (FIG. 5), but is unlike thelatter ports nonflared axially (FIG. 4) and, as already mentioned, opensdirectly into the valve chamber section 46, with this port 56a beingseparated from the adjacent ports 56b and 56C by ribs 88 and 9B in thevalve plug (FIG. 5).

To serve the burner compartments 14 other than the foremost compartment14a, the conduits 78 extend, with clearance through those compartments14, and with a sealing t through those partitions 30, that are locatedbetween the valve mechanism 18 and the respective compartments withwhich these conduits communicate. However, preferably and moreparticularly, the conduits 78 are coextensive with each other over theirentire lengths in order to keep the cross-sectional area left fordelivered gas in the compartments in which they extend of the uniformring shape shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which is well suited for uniform gasdistribution to the associated flame ports for uniform characteristicsof the flames thereat. Accordingly, the entire conduit unit ofcylindrical outer periphery extends to and into the rearmost burnercompartment 14a` and through all preceding compartments .14, with thisconduit unit 80 extending with a sealing fit through apertures 92 in thepartitions 30, and the individual conduits of this unit being open onlyto those compartments with which they are to communicate. Thus, conduit78b, which is to serve the compartment 14b, has outlets 94 which openinto the latter compartment, while its end in the rearmost compartment14C is plugged at 96 (FIG. 2). On the other hand, conduit 78C, which isto serve the rearmost compartment 14C, is open at its end within thelatter compartment.

With the conduit unit 80 of cylindrical outer periphery extending intothe rearmost burner compartment, the apertures 92 in the partitions 30through which this conduit unit extends are circular and, hence, mayadvantageously be provided in the partition plates 30 by simple centralboring prior to their explained insertion'in and assembly with theburner casing 12.

As already mentioned, the valve element 48 may be ymanipulated at thehandle 70 so that its single opening 62 provides communication betweenthe valve chamber section 44 and any one, or certain combinations, ofthe valve ports 56. More particularly, the single opening 62 in thevalve element is so arranged that it may provide communication betweenchamber section 44 and any one, or parts of any two adjacent ones, ofthe valve ports 56, wherefore there is always at least oneV burnercompartment which lacks gas for ames from the flame ports thereat.However, for enhanced utility and versatility in operation of thepresent burner, provisions are made whereby any burner compartment -14not receiving gas according to the setting of the valve element 48 will,nevertheless, be supplied with gas adequate for maintaining ame at theassociated ame ports at least at pilot level. To this end, there areprovided bleed passages 98 between the valve ports 56 which are in thisinstance in the form of grooves in the face 58 of the valve plug 42(FIGS. 4 and 5). Thus, with the bleed passages 96 arranged between thevalve ports 56, one-time ignition of the gas discharging from the llameports of any burner compartment 14 will result in ame propagation to thellame ports of the remaining burner compartments, and flames will issuefrom the ports of all burner compartments during continued gas deliveryto the valve mechanism, with the burners response to different settingsof the valve element 48 for dilerent llame patterns at the ports of theburner compartments being, moreover, instantaneous.

In the operation of the burner, the valve element 48 is set for whateverflame pattern is desired at the time. Thus, with the valve element 48set in the exemplary fullline position shown in FIG. 5 in which the sameprovides communication between the valve chamber section 44 and equalparts of the adjacent valve ports 56b and 56C, utility flames at theintermediate and rearmost burner compartments 14b and 14C will be atsubstantially the same level, while the flames at the frontmost burnercompartment 14a are kept at lower, pilot level, with the lattercompartment being supplied with gas admitted through the bleed passages98 that lead directly to the valve port 56a. Should different heatrequirements now indicate optimum flame heat from the intermediateburner compartment 14b, for example, the valve element 48 is set intothe dotted-line position in FIG. 5 in which its opening 62 is in fullregister with only the valve port 5619. This will immediately bring theflames at the intermediate compartment 14b to their maximum level anddrive, while the ames at the other burner compartments will be at merepilot level owing to their maintenance by .gas supplied solely throughthe bleed passages 98 that lead from 'the valve port 56h into theadjacent valve ports 56a and 56C. Still another exemplary setting of thevalve element 48 is indicated in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 5 in whichthe same provides communication between the valve chamber section 44 andequal parts of the valve ports 56a and 56e, resulting in utility flamesat the burner compartments 14a and 14C at substantially the same, butless than maximum, level, and in flames at the burner compartment 14b atmere pilot level, as will be readily understood by now. The valveelement 48 is, of course, settable into innite positions in which theoverall ame pattern at the several burner compartments undergoes innitechanges which are now apparent and require no further explanation,except to point at the innite differences in level and drive of utilityllames at any two burner compartments on setting the valve element forcommunication between the valve chamber -section 44 and different partsof the corresponding valve ports 56.

In accordance with still another important aspect of the presentinvention, the present burner may, despite its valve arrangement tosupply at most yonly two burner compartments `directly with gas, be usedlike a conventional burner with the ames over the entire burner slotbeing of the same level and drive. This is achieved by properdimensioning of the burner compartments 14 and the gas -passages leadingthereto from the valve mechanism. In this conne-ction, it is preferredfor other lreasons that the burner compartments 14 as Well as theconduits 78 of the unit 80 are of identical cross-sectional areathroughout, and that the valve ports 56 are at least at the face 58 ofthe valve plug 42 of identical cross-sectional area for their individualfull registerability with the opening 62 in the valve element 42 incorresponding settings of the latter such as its dotted-line setting inFIG. 5. Moreover, with the intermediate and rear burner compartments 14band 14e being connected with their respective valve ports through therelatively long and constricted conduits 78 of the unit 80, and with thefront burner compartment 14a being connected with its valve port 56athrough the much shorter and wider passage afforded by the valve chambersection 46 and conduit 76, there is every indication that for theachievement of identical flame level and drive at all burnercompartments the valve element 48 be best set in its full-line positionin FIG. 5 in which its opening is in register with equal parts of thevalve ports 56h and 56C. Following this precept, and keeping in mindthat the valve ports S6b and 56e are of preferred identicalcross-sectional area (FIGS. 2 and 5) and the conduits 78 are also ofpreferred identical cross-sectional area throughout, gas will in thisfull-line position of the valve element 48 (FIG. 5) be delivered to theintermediate and rear burner compartments 14b and 14C at substantiallythe same volumetric ow rate, so that the ilames at these Icompartmentswill be at substantially the same level and of substantially the samedrive if the volumes of these compartments 14b and 14e for gas deliveredtherein are substantially the same. Keeping in mind the preferredidentical cross-sectional areas of the burner compartments, the volumesof the compartments 14b and 14C available for gas delivered therein aremade substantially equal by making the intermediate compartment 14blonger than the rear compartment 14e` to an extent sufcient tocompensate substantially for the space in the intermediate compartment14b occupied by the conduit unit 80 therein. Furthermore, optimum amecapacity of the burner at substantially equal level and drive of allflames over the length of the burner slot in the casing is achieved ifin the full-line position lof the valve element 48 (FIG. 5) its opening62 is in register with exact halves of the valve ports 56b and 56e, asshown. Such half register of the valve opening 62 with the valve 8 ports56b and 56C in the full line position of the valve element 48 isachieved in this instance by making the valve opening 62 of an arcuateextent in excess of that of either valve port 56b or 56C by thethickness of the rib formation 86 in the valve plug 42. To dimension thefront burner compartment 14a and gas passage thereto for equal level anddrive of the ames at all burner compartments in the full-line positionof the valve element 48 (FIG. 5), several obvious courses may be pursuedwhich primarily involve selecting the volume of the front compartment14a for gas delivered therein as against the cross-sectional areas ofthe two bleed passages 98 that lead to the valve port 56a. Indimensioning in the exemplary burner arrangement shown the frontcompartment 14a and the bleed passages 98 leading to the valve port 56ato this end, it was kept in rnind to have the ame length over the frontburner compartment 14a substantially equal `to the flame length of therear burner compartment 14C for lengthwise Well-balanced flame patternsover the extent of the burner. Thus, the longitudinal extent of thellame ports at, and the coextensive part 100 of, the front burnercompartment 14a are substantially equal to the longitudinal extent ofthe rear burner compartment 14e and llame po-rts thereat (FIG. l), andthe bleed passages 98 to the valve port 56a are dimensioned to pass inthe full-line position of the valve element 48 sufficient gas to thisvalve port 56a so that all ames over the extent of the burner are atsubstantially the same level and of substantially the same drive. It is,of course, impossible to set up any range of dimensions of the bleedpassages 98 leading to the valve port 56a that will achieve the desiredend under the circumstances, for there are too many variables involvedin achieving this end, such as the speciiic dimensions of the'burnercompartments 14, conduits 76, 78 and passages in the valve mechanism,for example. To give some indication, however, of correctly dimensionedburner compartments and gas passages through the valve mechanism and tothe several burner compartments in at least one instance, it should benoted that a burner arrangement of larger size, but of exactly the samerelative dimensions in every detail, as shown in the drawings, performedentirely satisfactorily, including the issuance of flame at the samelevel and of the same drive over the entire burner length in thefull-line setting of the valve element 48 in FIG. 5, with the burnerresponding to all other settings -of the valve element in the generalfashion described hereinbefore.

The present burner arrangement, besides having the described uniquefunctional features, is also exceedingly simple in its construction and,hence, of accordingly low cost. Thus, the provision of the valvemechanism 18 outside the burner casing permits a small-size and low-costvalve construction which, moreover, affords very close control over thevolumetric ow rate of gas selectively delivered to the several burnercompartments. Furthermore, access to the interior of the valvemechanism. 18 for maintenance or repair or replacement of parts isreadily had on simply removing the end cover 68, The mounting of the'valve mechanism 18 .on the burner casing 12 through intermediation ofthe conduit 76, which serves the foremost burner compartment, not onlymakes for simple and rm assembly of the valve mechanism with the rest ofthe burner, but also keeps the number of conduits 78 in the unit 80 at aminimum, thereby permitting these conduits 78 to be individually ofsuiciently large cross-sectional area to supply their respective burnercornpartments with adequate gas for Idesired high ame capacity thereat,and on the other hand keep the crosssectional size of the conduit unitsuflciently small to take up minimum space in the burner compartmentsthrough which it extends for least interference with uniformdistribuition of the delivered gas in these compartments to the llameports thereat, Further, the featured conversion of a conventional burnercasing With a single gas chamber into one for selective flamedistribution, by merely transversely slotting the casing and insertinginto and assembling with the slotted casing separate partition platesfrom the outside,lmakes for further cost reduction of the burner.Partitioning a single gas chamber in a casing into successivecompartments in this fashion also permits boring in the separtepartition plates prior to their assembly with the burner casing thecentral apertures through which the conduit unit is to extend. Also, theunique arrangement of the conduits 78 in the cylindrical unit 80 and themounting of the latter in the valve plug 42 permits their readypreassembly outside the burner casing and valve body, and theirinsertion and removal as such preassembly into and from the burnercasing and valve body.

While the burner 10 has the described conversion feature of readilyadapting a burner casing with a single gas chamber into one suited forselective flame distribution, the modied burner 10 of FIG. 6 has an evenmore pronounced conversion feature in that a burner casing with a singlegas chamber may be converted into one for selective ame distributionwithout requiring any changes whatever in the casing itself. Thus, theburner casing 12' is in this instance a simple cylindrical tube having aclosed end 110. and being open at its other end 112. The tubular burnercasing 12 is over the greater part of its longitudinal expanse providedwith a burner slot 114 receiving a burner-ribbon assembly 116 which byspaced crosspins 118 is secured to the burner casing 12. The burnercasing 12 is at its open end 112 connected, through a union 120, forinstance, with the conduit 76 on which the body 38 of the valvemechanism 18 is mounted, The valve me-chanism 18 may in all essentialrespects be like the described valve mechanism 18 (FIGS. 4 and 5), withthe value plug 42 having releasably secured thereto the conduits 78 ofthe unit 80', of which conduit 76b has the orifices 94', and the conduit78e' is open at its end 122.

The interior of the tubular burner casing 12 is divided into thesuccessive compartments 14a', 14b and 14e by partitions 30 which, incontrast to the previously described partitions 30 (FIGS. 1 and 3), arenot permanently connected with the burner casing 12 but are, instead,re-ceived therein with a sliding t (FIG. 7) and permanently connected,as by tack-welding 124, with the conduit unit 80'. The partitions 30,which thus lit the interior of the burner casing 12' except where theyare cut away at 126 to clear the ribbon assembly 116, form with theconduit unit 80 a new unit or burner component 128 which is readilyassembled outside the burner casing and installed therein simply byaxially sliding the same thereinto through the open end 112 thereof,with this burner component 128 being held in place in the burner casingthrough intermediation of the valve mechanism 18' which by the conduit76' is mounted on the valve casing. The provision of the separate burnercomponent 128 is thus particularly advantageous for ready conversion ofexisting, and particularly installed, burners of nonselective llamedist-ribution into burners of selective ame distribution, as will bereadily understood.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than thoseherein set forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gas burner, the combination with a longitudinal burner casinghaving a number of more than two successive longitudinal gascompartments separated from each other by apertured transversepartitions, and a longitudinal burner slot coextensive with and open tosaid compartments for ame maintenance over the corresponding slotlengths, of valve mechanism at one end of said casing outside saidcompartments, said mechanism having an inlet, a chamber, outlet portsequal to said number and open to said chamber, and a valve elementoperable to provide communication between said inlet and any one, orcertain combinations, of said ports; and conduits equal to said number,of which a first conduit provides communication between one of saidports and the one compartment nearest said valve mechanism by providingcommunication and extending between said chamber and said onecompartment, with said rst conduit also mounting said valve mechanism onsaid casing, and the other conduits provide communication between theother ports and other compartments, respectively, and extend from saidother ports with clearance through said chamber and iirst conduit, andfurther extend, with clearance through those compartments, and with asealing t through said apertures in those partitions, that are locatedbetween said valve mechanism and the respective compartments with whichsaid other -conduits communicate, with said second conduits sealing saidother ports from said chamber,

2. The combination in a gas burner as set forth in claim 1, in whichsaid other conduits are coextensive and in side-by-side engagement witheach other from said valve mechanism into the end compartment mostremote from'said one compartment, and are open only to the respectivecompartments with which they communicate, and said other conduits are ofcomplemental section jointly to form a conduit unit of Iuninterruptedpolygonal outer periphery.

3. The combination in a gas burner as set forth in claim 2, in whichsaid other conduits are of complemental sectorial section jointly toform a conduit unit of uninterrupted cylindrical outer periphery.

4. In a gas burner, the combination with a longitudinal burner casinghaving a number of more than two successive longitudinal gascompartments about a common axis separated from each other by transversepartitions with circular apertures about said axis, and a longitudinalburner slot coextensive with and open to said compartments for llamemaintenance over the corresponding slot lengths, of valve mechanism atone end of said casing outside said compartments, said mechanism havinga valve body with a chamber about said axis and an intermediatetransverse Wall in said chamber dividing the latter into front and rearsections, an inlet to said front section and outlet ports in said wallequal to said number and open to said rear section, and a valve elementin said front section turnable to provide communication between thelatter and any one, or certain combinations, of said ports; a rstconduit about said axis providing communication between one of saidports and the one compartment nearest said valve mechanism by providingcommunication and extending between said rear chamber section and saidone compartment, with said iirst conduit also mounting said valve bodyon said casing; and other conduits providing communication between theother ports and the other compartments, respectively, and being fromsaid wall coextensive in length, with said other conduits being inside-by-side engagement and of complemental sectorial section jointly toform a conduit unit of uninterrupted cylindrical outer peripheryextending axially and with clearance through said rear chamber section,lirst conduit and all compartments except said end compartment, andextending with a sealing lit through said apertures in said partitions,and said other conduits sealing said other ports from said rear chambersection and being open only to the respective compartments with whichthey communicate.

5. The combination in a gas burner as set forth in claim 4, in whichsaid valve chamber has an open front end normally closed by `a removablecover, said Wall is a separate part having a sliding fit in saidchamber, and said valve element and wall part are axially removable fromand insertable into said chamber through the open front end thereof.

6. The combination in a gas burner as set forth in claim 5, in whichsaid conduit unit extends with a sliding lit through said apertures insaid partitions and is secured 1 1 to said wall part to form therewithan assembly Which is removable from and insertable into said valvechamber and burner casing.

7. In a gas burner, the combination of a longitudinal burner casinghaving a burner slot and successive longitudinal gas compartmentslaterally open to said slot and separated from each other by atransverse partition; and means for selectively supplying either or bothof said compartments with gas for selective ame distribution at saidslot, with said compartments being of identical tubular section andhaving an inner peripheral Wall surface of which opposite parts leadingto said slot converge on each other, said casing having intermediatesaid compartments a transverse slot in its peripheral wall substantiallyover the remaining part of said inner wall surface thereof, and saidpartition is a plate ittedly received and secured in said slotthroughout and extending into the interior of v said casing to divide itinto said compartments, with said plate having its edge in the casinginterior contoured to be in substantial form-tit with said opposite wallsurface 2 parts.

8. The ccombination in a gas burner as set forth in claim 7, in whichsaid inner peripheral wall surface is 12 substantially cylindrical, andsaid slot extends across a substantially semi-cylindrical part of saidwall surface. 9. The combination in a gas burner as set forth in claim7, in which said gas supplying means includes con- 5 duit means in, andcrossing from one lto the other of,

said compartments, and said plate has an aperture through which thecross `conduit means extends substantially ittingly.

References Cited lO UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,153 9/1927 Kemp 158-1051,664,508 4/ 1928 Harper 158-105 2,025,276 12/ 1935 Drezdon.

2,339,965 1/1944 Turner 137-625.46 2,807,320 9/1957 Wildermann 239-5622,869,630 l/1959 Flynn 158--105 3,111,268 11/1963 Butler 239-563 0EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

7. IN A GAS BURNER, THE COMBINATION OF A LONGITUDINAL BURNER CASINGHAVING A BURNER SLOT AND SUCCESSIVE LONGITUDINAL GAS COMPARTMENTSLATERALLY OPEN TO SAID SLOT AND SEPATATED FROM EACH OTHER BY ATRANSVERSE PARTITION; AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SUPPLYING EITHER OR BOTHOF SAID COMPARTMENTS WITH GAS FOR SELECTIVE FLAME DISTRIBUTION AT SAIDSLOT, WITH SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING OF IDENTICAL TUBULAR SECTION ANDHAVING AN INNER PERIPHERAL WALL SURFACE OF WHICH OPPOSITE PARTS LEADINGTO SAID SLOTS CONVERGE ON EACH OTHER, SAID CASING HAVING INTERMEDIATESAID COMPARTMENTS A TRANSVERSE SLOT IN ITS PERIPHERAL WALL SUBSTANTIALLYOVER THE REMAINING PART OF SAID INNER WALL SURFACE THEREOF, AND SAIDPARTITION IS A PLATE FITTEDLY RECEIVED AND SECURED IN SAID SLOTTHROUGHOUT AND EXTENDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING TO DIVIDE ITINTO SAID COMPARTMENTS, WITH SAID PLATE HAVING ITS EDGE IN THE CASINGINTERIOR CONTOURED TO BE IN SUBSTANTIAL FORM-FIT WITH SAID OPPOSITE WALLSURFACE PARTS.